Fuel-feed system for explosive-engines.



E. s. CHURCH.

FUEL FEED SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. I9I6 Patented-June 18, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEET IL`WIKI II I I l s I l, MINIMUM! im.

E. S. CHURCH.

FUEL FEED SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. I

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1916.

Patented June 18, 1918..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2L A I if JEDMUND S. CHURCH, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC CARBURETOR CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FUEL-FEED SYSTEM FOB. EXPLOSIVE-JENGINES.

LCOAI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented I une I, IATA..

Application filed November 3, 1916'. Serial No. 129,266.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lEDMUND S. CHURCH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Feed Systemsfor Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.-

The invention relates to fuel feed devices for explosive engines andmore particularly to those used on motor vehicles.

Cne object of the invention is to provide an improved fuel feedingsystem in which liquid-fuel is fed from a reservoir to a feedtankbyfluid pressure in the reservoir and from the feed tank to the carbureterby gravity. f

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fuel feedingsystem in which Huid under pressure from a working cylinder of theengine is utilized to force liquid fuel from the reservoir to the feedtank.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide an improved fuel feedingsystem in which the liquid fuel is forced from the reservoir to the feedtank by fluid ,under pressure with an automatic pressure relief which isoperative only when the feed tank contains a predetermined volume offuel.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a fuel feeding systemembodying the invention. Fi 2 is a vertical section through the feedtan. lFig. 3 is a vertical section through the carbureter. Fig. 4c is asection through the check valve in the pressure line to the liquidreservoir.

In the system illustrated as an exemplification of the invention, Adenotes a fuel reservoir usually supported at the back of the motorvehicle, B an explosive engine, 1) a tank usually supported in anelevated position on the dash-board of the vehicle to which the liquidfrom the reservoir A is forced, and C a carburetor connected to theintake manifold of the engine. A pipe a conducts liquid fuel, such asgasolene, from the bottom of the reservoir A to the top of the feed tankD. A pipe b conducts' fluid under pressure from one of the work lngcylinders of the engine through a check valve E to the top of the fuelreservoir A.

A pipe d conducts liquid fuel from the feed tank Dto the carbureter bygravity.

The check valve E which is designed to permit flow of a very smallquantity of comy pressed fluid in the working cylinder to the reservoirA, comprises a casing e which is screw-threaded into the engine-casingand has an inlet duct 6 1n communlcatlon W1th vt-he combustion-chamberof the engine and ter-pin 10 on a stem 11 of a. plug 12 holds the diskagainst lateral movement off the seat.` Openings 14 are formed in theguide 9 to permit the fluid from duct 6 to pass into a chamber' 15 inthe casing e. Pressure pipe is connected to casing e to conduct fluidunder pressure from the chamber 15 to the reservoir A. This deviceexemplifies means for conducting fluid under pressure from a Workingcylinder of the engine to the fuelreservoir to put the body of liquid inthe reservoir under pressure and force it to an elevated feed tank. f

A pipe b2 also connected to the chamber 15 in check-valve e and open tothe pressure in said chamber 15 is connected to an automatic reliefvalve 18 formed in a fitting 17 suitably secured in the bottom of thefeed tank I). This fitting contains valve 18 which is mounted to slidevertically therein to close the upper end of a duct 19 to which pipe b2is connected and to control the escape of fluid through exhaust ports20. This valve 18 is adapted to be opened by fluid in the pipe b2 andthe fuel reservoir A in excess of the maximum required to force theliquid fuel from the reservoir A into the feed tank D, usually about twopounds. When the pressure is in excess of this maximum, fluid Will opensaid valve and escape either directly from the check-Valve E throughpipe b2 to the exhaust-ducts 20 or from the liquid reservoir A via pipeZ1', chamber 15 of the check-valve, and pipel b2 to the exhaust ducts20. The body of the tank D is usually made of suitable sheet metal, suchas copper, and the fitting 17 is secured in the bottom of said body by anut 2l.

The supply of fuel into the feed tank D is controlled by a valve 22which is slidably mounted in a socket 23 formed in the top 24 of thetank D and the operation of this valve is automatically controlled by afloat 25 disposed in the tank. This float is pivoted, as at 26, to thecover 24 so as to lift and close the valve 22 when a column of liquidfuel of predetermined height is contained in the tank D. A stem 27guided vertically in a tube 28 is operatively connected, as at 29, tothe fioat. The upper end of the stem 27 is adapted to engage the lowerend of the valve 22, the seat against which the valve operates beingdisposed above the valve. The lower end of tube 28 is secured in therelief-valve fitting 17 and the top of the tube is closed by a ferrule30. This fioat exemplifies means for automatically controlling thedelivery of liquid fuel into the tank to maintain a substantiallyconstant supply in the tank and sufficient for initially starting theengine.

In practice, it is desirable that the automatic relief valve 18 shouldnot he operative to exhaust the pressure from the line of fuel pressurefor lift-ing the liquid t'nel at ils normal maximum pressure until thefeed tank has been filled to the predetermined level, so that in eventthere should be a deficiency' of supply of fuel in the feed tank, thefull pressure of the fluid in the pressure line will be utilized tospeedily fill the feed tank. ,For this purpose, the stem 27 to which thefloat- 25 is connected, is extended to bear on the upper end of therelief valve 18 so that when the fioat is lowered, the weight of thefloat and said stem will be applied to resist the opening of therelief-valve 18. As a result, the relief valve 18 will be inoperative bya measurable excess of pressure in the pressure line until the float 25has been lifted to release the relief valve 18 for operation by fluidpressure in the pipe b2. As a result, in starting, the excess pressureinstead of being discharged through the relief valve will be conductedto the fuel reservoir A to establish an excessive pressure in ysaid tankuntil the float valve 25 is operated by the liquid in the feed-tank. Assoon as this occurs. the relief valve will be released by stem 27 andwill be rendered operative by normal excess of pressure in thepressure-V line and if the pressure has exceeded the maximum necessaryfor operation of the relief valve 18 when it is released, the excesswill be free to escape from the reservoir A through pipe 5', chamber 15,in the check valve E and pipe b2 to the exhaust ducts 20.

The carbureter shown is an example of one to which liquid-fuel. such asgasolene, will he supplied from the feed-l ank and comprises a casing 50containing a chamber l24 can be removed by removing screws 24.

51 for liquid fuel; a fuel inlet valve 52 controlled by a fioat 53 tomaintain a colmnn of liquid of a predetermined height in the chamber 51;a nozzle 54 charging into a Venturi tube 55; a primary air inlet 56; anda secondary air inlet 57 controlled by a suitable spring-closed valve58. The feed pipe d is connected to deliver liquid fuel to the valve 52.The suction created by the working pistons through the usual intakemanifold 60 will create suction in the Venturi tube to draw air throughthe inlets 56 and 57 and liquid fuel from the nozzle 54.

lV hen the liquid, particularly gasolene, is discharged under pressureinto the feed tank, a considerable portion of it is vaporized and theinvention provides for conducting this vapor to the carbureter. For thispurpose, a pipe 41 is connected to the top 2st of the feed tank and to aduct 42 in the carbureter which discharges into the Venturi tube whereit will be mixed with the air in the carbureter. This vapor outlet alsoprevents the accumulation of any pressure in the feed tank and acts as avent therefor, so that the liquid fuel from the feed tank will flow bygravity to the carbureter. If it should become necessary for access tothe interior of the tank, the cover The fioat and stem 27 are removablewith the cover. The stem 27 is free for upward withdrawal from the tube28.

The operation of the invention Will be as follows: lVhen the engine isrunning, a

small volume of Huid under pressure will be forced by one of the workingpistons through the check valve and pipe b into the upper portion of thefuel reservoir A. This pressure will force liquid fuel from thereservoir A through pipe a into the feed tank D, from which it will flowby gravity through the pipe d to the carbureter. This flow of fuel isusually faster than the amount consumed in the carbureter so that theliquid fuel will accumulate in tank D until float 25 closes valve 22 andcuts off the flow of gasolene to the feed-tank. lVhen the feed= tank iSfull to the predetermined level, the float will lift the stem 27 andrelease the 115 automatic relief valve 18 so that any excess ofpressure, either in the pressure line or in the fuel reservoir A, canlift the relief valve and escape through the ducts 20. The vapor'formedin the feed tank will be con- 120 ducted by pipe 41 to the carbureterfor mixture with air. y

The invention exemplifies an improved pressure supply system for fuel inwhich fluid under pressure from a working c vlin- 125 der of the engineis conducted to the fuel reservoir to lift the fuel to the feed tank,which results in supplying fluid in accordance with the operation of theengine: one in which an automatic pressure. rclii-l' is prolau neuerervoir into a feed tank and passes from the tank to the carbureter bygravity.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope of the ap- Apendedclaims, without departing from the uspirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what lt claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. ln fuel feeding devices for explosive engines, the. combination of areservoir for liquid fuel, a carbureter, a feed-tank disposed above thecarbureter, a connection for conducting `fluid under pressure from aworking cylinder of the engine before it has been exhausted from thecylinder, to said reservoir, to put the liquid in the reservoir underpressure, a connection through which liquid under pressure will beforced from the reservoir to said tank, and a connection through whichliquid-fuel will dow by gravity from the tank to the carbureter.

Q. ln fuel feeding devices for explosive engines, the combination of areservoir for liquid fuel, a carbureter, a feed-tank disposed above thecarbureter, a connection for conducting fluid underv pressure from aworking cylinder of the engine before it has been exhausted from thecylinder, to said reservoir, to put the liquid in the reservoir underpressure, a connection through which liquid under .pressure will beforced from working cylinder of the engine before it has ,titl

to the carburetor.

the reservoir to said tank, an automatic cut- OH in the tank for closingthe connection between the reservoir and the tank when the liquidreaches a predetermined level, and a connection through whichliquid-fuel will flow by gravity from the tank to the car-A .buretenAliquid fuel, a carbureter,. a feed-tank disposed above the carbureter,a connection for conducting Huid under pressure from a been exhaustedfrom thefcylinder, to said reservoir, to put the liquid in the reservoirunder pressure, a connection through which liquid Aunder pressure willbe forced from the reservoir to sald tank, an automatic pressure-relieffor the connection between,

the engine and the reservoir, means operated responsively-tofluctuations of liquid in the tank, for controlling the automaticrelief, and a connection through which liquid-fuel will dow by gravity4; lin fuel feeding devices for explosive engines, the combinatlon of areservoir for "liquid fuel, a carbureter, an elevatedfeed tank`connected to receive fuel from the from the tank fuel from the tanktothe carbureter by gravity. v

5. ln fuel feeding devices for explosive engines, the combination of areservoir for liquid fuel,a carbureter, an elevated tank connectedtoreceive Afuel from the reservoir, means for supplying fluid underpressure to the reservoir to force the fuel to the tank, a valve forcontrolling theI delivery of fuel intol the tank, means for closing thevalve when the fuel in the tank reaches a predetermined level, anautomatic relief for excess fluid pressure, and means for keeping therelief closed when the valve is open.

6. lln fuel feeding devicesfor explosive engines, the combination of areservoir for liquid fuel, a carbureter, means for conducting fuel fromthe reservoir to the carburetor comprising a feed-tank, means forsupplying fluid under pressure to the reservoir to force the fuel to thetank, a valve for controlling the'delivery of fuell into the tank, afloat inl the tank for closing the valve when the fuel reaches apredetermined level, an automatic:`

tank, a valve for-.controlling the delivery of' fuel into the tank, afloat in the tank for closing the valve, an'automatic relief for excessuid under pressure, and a stem between the float and the relief forapplying the weight of the float to the relief when the valve is open.

8. ln fuel forming devices for explosive engines, the combination of areservoir for liquid fuel, a carbureter, a feed tank connected toreceive fuel from the reservoir, means for supplying fluid underpressure to the reservoir to force the fuel to the tank, a valve forcontrolling the delivery of fuel into the tank, a float in the tank forclosing the valve, an automatic relief for excess fluid under pressure,a stein-'between the doaty and the relief for applying the weight of thefloat tothe relief -when the ,valve is open, and a tube in the tankaround the stem, the stem being removable from the tube with the float.

,91 fn'fuel feeding devices for explosive engines, the combination of areservoir for liquld fuel, a carbureter,-a feed tank. contlllll lllldldd l0 bothof said pipes are constantly connected.

l0. ln fuel feeding devices for-explosive check-Valve.

meme? engines, the combination of a reservoir for liquid fuel, acarburetex, a feed tank connected to receive liquid fuel from the reser-Voir, means for supplying fluid undei pressure into the reservoir toforce the fuel to `the tank, means for conducting liquid fuel froxnthetank to the carbureter, and a connection between the top of the tank:1nd the carbureter foijdelivering vapor formed in the tank to thecarbureter.

EDMUND S. CHURCH.

